Some sort of antivirus protection is a must in most systems in order to ensure data integrity and data protection. Antivirus protection is generally a part of any storage system.
In some storage systems, an antivirus program is run on a server of machine that is external to the individual storage devices. For example, a dedicated antivirus server may run on a machine that is separate from a network attached storage (NAS) storage device. Given the large amounts of data that can be stored on certain types of storage devices, scanning a storage device can take considerable time. In addition, the length of time it takes for an antivirus scan to complete may vary based on considerations such as the available bandwidth between the external antivirus server and the storage device.
Typically, an antivirus program locks files as part of the scanning process. Thus, delays in executing the antivirus scan can also result in reduced availability of files. These problems, and others, can be exacerbated when the external antivirus server loses contact with the storage device. The physical connection between the external antivirus server may be disrupted. The external antivirus server may be in maintenance mode, or having its software updated. The external antivirus server itself may crash. In certain instances, the antivirus program running on the antivirus server may be updated, but be unstable and crash. Many possible circumstances, both foreseen and unforeseen, may arise that cause the external antivirus server to lose communication with the storage device that is being scanned. As a result, file access may be compromised, as may be the integrity and overall safety of the system.